Fish Eating Plants?

[TomShootsPhoto]

Hi everyone!!

So I've been away for some time, but now I'm back! My 300L tank is pretty nice, however I am battling a major problem though.

So recently I planted my tank. I have some sword plants, some cabomba and some other red leaf plant. I've also added 5 supercute tiny little cory cats to my tank, and they look very happy.

However, my damned clown loaches keep eating my plants. Last week, I added a really nice amazon sword plant, and on friday, the leaves where pretty much gone because of the holes in themselves.

Anyway, I had to throw the sword plants out. And they do this to whatever plant I add! I can barely plant the tank!!!


Is there any way to solve this? There is two of them (I know I know, they should be in groups of 6).

Thank you very much for your advice!

 

[mike455555]

get different plants. i heard fish dont like the taste of anubis and java fern? ... or get very fast growing plants in mass's like riccia or java moss then anything your fish do eat will grow back before they can eat it all?. or get plants which they cant get to. e.g moss's under a netting? just ideas not sure if any would work

 

[blackops]

of the topic but i was reading your about your 300l tank and i whould love to see what it looks like now so could you post some pics pls

 

[TomShootsPhoto]

of the topic but i was reading your about your 300l tank and i whould love to see what it looks like now so could you post some pics pls

Here ya go!

 

[mike455555]

if they are your Amazon swords your on about. they might of been changing there leaves to aquatic. (melting) did you see your fish eating them?

nice looking tank btw. if it were mine id add some crypts in there

 

[blackops]

love the tank and the clown loaches

 

[TomShootsPhoto]

if they are your Amazon swords your on about. they might of been changing there leaves to aquatic. (melting) did you see your fish eating them?

nice looking tank btw. if it were mine id add some crypts in there

Yeah, I saw them eating.... Maybe I should get some pellets that lie at the bottom so they can eat them instead.

I'm definitely gonna add more plants!

love the tank and the clown loaches

Thanks!

 

[TomShootsPhoto]

Anybody have any more tips on how to stop these little sneaky #19###s?

 

[delta]

Hi Tom. I tried to look at your link but I got a message to try later so I will as I'm dying to see how your tank's looking now.

Re the plants. My swords are loosing leaves but are also growing the new leaves very quickly. I read once that with swords they must not be planted too deeply. I was also advised to feed my plant nipping fish an algae based food alternated with their normal flakes to satisfy their veggie requirements. Also I think giving them bits of lettuce and other veggies might help. Having said that someone is definitely nibbling at my pogostomen erectus I just don't know who yet although I'm suspecting the gouramis.

 

[snazy]

Anybody have any more tips on how to stop these little sneaky #19###s?

No, I have the same problem. Apparently, swords are one of the clown's favourite plant species. Mine are all looking like a mesh although they haven't managed to eat the whole plant. They are making a right mess out of my new aponogeton ulvaceus which grows super fast but the leaves get well damaged when still tiny and then develop into a big disfigured leaf They don't eat the anubias or grassy plants, obviously not moss either. I've got a hydrophilia that was looking lovely and now just the top bits of it has any leaves left and it's because they are the latest grown. Anything that has soft bright green leaves is a no no with them it seems.

 

[snazy]

Just one suggestion that may help a bit only though, give them cucumber from time to time. Also, if mine are not fed a day(I skip a day every week), it's when the most damage is done. Really hungry cheeky fish.

 

[TomShootsPhoto]

Hi Tom. I tried to look at your link but I got a message to try later so I will as I'm dying to see how your tank's looking now.

Re the plants. My swords are loosing leaves but are also growing the new leaves very quickly. I read once that with swords they must not be planted too deeply. I was also advised to feed my plant nipping fish an algae based food alternated with their normal flakes to satisfy their veggie requirements. Also I think giving them bits of lettuce and other veggies might help. Having said that someone is definitely nibbling at my pogostomen erectus I just don't know who yet although I'm suspecting the gouramis.

Thank you for your reply! If you try the link now it should work, but if not, I can reupload the pictures to photobucket...

Anyway, I tried giving them some lettuce as you suggested. None of my fished touched it... I plan on leaving it in the tank overnight, we'll see what happens.

Just one suggestion that may help a bit only though, give them cucumber from time to time. Also, if mine are not fed a day(I skip a day every week), it's when the most damage is done. Really hungry cheeky fish.

I tried lettuce, and I will try cucumber too. Thank you for suggesting that I add anubis and other grass plants. I was looking to add more plants, so this came in very handy. What grassy plants do you mean exactly?

Thank you for your help!

 

[snazy]

Unfortunately I never wrote the name down but it's a grassy one They didn't touch it or uprooted it. Well they don't uproot anything anyhow. I am getting from a member here sagittaria subulata as well so I'll see how it goes.

 

[TomShootsPhoto]

Aw man, I had sagittaria subulatas in my 20 gallon tank... They didn't work out so well...

 

[snazy]

Aw man, I had sagittaria subulatas in my 20 gallon tank... They didn't work out so well...

The clown loaches ate it or in what way do you mean?